


Friend

by orphan_account



Category: The Witch's House
Genre: Gen, Sad, Violas pov, really sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 11:08:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15047540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: [One-shot] "She took everything." Was all Viola could think as her father came into view. "And I can't take it back..." WARNING: Spoilers, sad





	Friend

How long?

How long was I going to be stuck in this body? This ruined, broken body that did not even belong to me. In fact, it belonged to my dear friend, Ellen.

Could I still call her a friend?

Yes, Viola, she is your friend. I would reassure myself with a thought as simple as that. But how far was I willing to believe that? I shouldn't be worrying so much, for I knew Ellen was going to be coming back. She promised that she would give it back, I remembered, and I trust her. Because we're friends...right? I prayed that that was the truth and not some sweet lie she made to reassure me that I was doing a good thing. 

\---

And I was doing a good thing. The day I came to visit her was a particularly normal day until I entered her room. It was a terrible sight and I couldn't bear to see the pained look in her golden eyes. She lacked legs and she was desperately heaving for oxygen. I neared her nearly lifeless body, my heart aching in sympathy.

"Viola..." She had whispered to me, a hand clutching to my dress. "It h-hurts."

Then she begins to sob silently, bringing her weak, fragile arms to her eyes. I kneel beside her bed, patting her arm gently in hopes to comfort her. Her sheets and dress were stained in blood and I wondered who could have done such a horrible thing to her. She was already a sickly child with no parents and currently fighting off a new disease. So how could someone so cruel do this to her?

"Viola...water...please..." She pleaded, and I nod, standing up from her bedside.

When I returned, she had no eyes. They were just empty sockets, blood pouring out of them.

"W-what happened?!" I cried out, resting the glass of water on her desk.

Ellen had her hands over her eyelids, breathing hard, her teeth gritting in more pain.

"C-cat..." She whispered weakly. She gestures for me to come closer, and so I did.

"Viola, please, switch places with me. J-just for today, and I promise...I'll give it back." She murmurs.  
"I just...I just want to know what it's like to have no pain..."

So I gave her consent to switch our entities and as soon as I felt myself be put into her body, I was sent into a whirlwind of agony. This had been the kind of pain she suffered from? I couldn't blame her for wanting to switch so badly. But now, I couldn't see, I couldn't walk, I couldn't do anything. It just hurt too much.

"C-can you relieve the p-pain?" I cry out, wincing slightly at the energy it took to speak.  
"Of course." Ellen had said, and I could hear her move to get something.

I could hear her pour some kind of liquid into a cup and her steps to hurry back to me. I wish I could see the expression on her face as I laid there, helpless and in misery. But I still believed I was doing something good for my friend, even if it cost my own happiness. Even if just for a day. 

"Here," She said, "Drink this."

And so I did.

And I spat it out as soon as it went down my throat. It burned and I began to cough vigorously. It felt as if someone was clawing within the confines of my esophagus.

"...!"

I couldn't speak. My hands shakily reached for my throat, trying desperately to make a sound.

"..w..haa...!" My words were unintelligible. "...lle...n..." And I tried to call for my friend.

"Oh no, I must've used the wrong liquid!" She cried, but why didn't she sound sorry?

Was she just tricking me?

It couldn't have been that. I trust her...and she promised me that she'd give my body back by the end of the day. She can't just betray me like this, not after I just sacrificed myself for her. She just can't.

"I'll go get some help, okay? I'll be back..." Her voice trails off and I could've sworn I heard her giggle a bit.

But I'm sure I was just imagining it. 

\---

Now, here I was, still waiting for her to return. My throat had stopped burning long before, but when I tried to make a noise, it felt like nails would pierce themselves through, and so I've long given up my vain attempts to speak. But I was growing desperate, and I decided to move on my own.

I rolled off the bed, hitting the hard, unforgiving floor with a thud. I winced as more pain flooded through my weak body. Suddenly, the door began to open and in fright, and from my memory, I crawled to the darkest corner of the room, waiting to hear who it was.

I believe Ellen returned, the sound of her heavy footsteps notifying me that she was frustrated. She smelled a bit of blood and I could just see her fists balled up at the hem of her dress. I sense her move to her desk, opening a book.

Now's my chance..! I thought, crawling out from my spot. I could get my body back! 

I knew Ellen was frightened. I could just feel it.

"..g..ve...it..." I growled.

And then she took off, running out of the room.

I followed closely behind, ignoring the aches that ran throughout out my body as I crawled desperately towards her. So many things were happening all at once; the sound of chairs moving, holes opening up in the ground, bloody hand-prints appearing on the walls. It was almost as if her house was on my side, helping me catch up to her. Ellen makes a detour and heads up a corridor to enter a different room. She quickly opens a cabinet and takes a knife with her before running out again, this time for the exit.

Was I too late?

I slow down my pace as she continues to run out of the house and out into forest. As I neared her, she splashes some kind of liquid on a thick bush of roses, clearing her path. She walks off, probably thinking she was free.

But I can't just let her walk off without one last fight.

I crawled faster, my thin fingers digging into the dirt as I neared my body. Give it back! I cried out in my mind though I knew she couldn't hear me. Please..! 

"...haa...El...n..." I tried to call in a raspy voice.

I hear her turn around, the feeling of being shot a look of annoyance hitting me. She walks calmly towards to me, knife in hand. Drops of rain began to fall from the sky, hitting my face gently. Were they to act as the tears I couldn't cry? 

"Boy, you're stubborn." She says, stabbing me in the eye.

Ellen leaves the knife in my empty socket, stepping back to look at what she's done. To herself. To her own body. To me. Pained noises left my mouth as I rested on the ground, the rain falling softly upon me as I fought for my life.

How did I not see it? How did I not realize that the person I called a "friend" was only going to betray me in the end? I had trusted her and her promises! I helped her! But as I lay here impotent and powerless, I realized she had only used me for her own gain. No matter what, I was going to lose in the end.

"How long are you going to chase me?" She asked bitterly.

Until I get back what was mine. Until you fulfill your damn promise. I wanted to respond, I wanted to get up and hurt her. But wouldn't that be ironic after all the troubles I went through just to make her feel better? To hurt her in my own body while I suffer in hers?

"You know that body won't last long." She adds, the sound of her crouching to get down to my level filling my ears.

I know. I thought, That's why you wanted to trade places with me. Because you wanted to feel love and be loved. Because no one loved you right? But I was the only one willing to be your friend. I loved you as one of my dearest friends... So why? Why did she throw it all away? Was my love...not enough?

"...gra...it...ba...haa..." I breathed.

I could feel her eyes narrow before I hear her stand up, her dress swishing as she turns her back towards me.

"Hm? 'Give it back?'" She asks. "No way. This body hurts much less."

But you promised..! I cried out in my mind. But now I know that that promise was broken from the start. It was broken from the very moment we switched.

I hear Ellen turn back around, probably looking disdainfully at me.

"You gave it to me in the first place. Why should I have to give it back?"

Because I thought I could trust you. I thought we were friends. And it belonged to me. I was blinded by my own kindness. And this pain? You did this to yourself didn't you? So that I would suffer from it. I wish you would tell me how you feel right now. Does it feel good to break the only friendship you ever had? How does it feel to lose your only friend in the exchange of your own selfish desires? You know, Ellen, that I would never do this to you. Never. 

"Right...Viola?"

I hate how you could just do this to me without a second thought. I hate how you fooled me so easily and did this to your own body so you can torture me for my stupidity. But most of all, I hate myself for trusting you so much. For believing that you would come back and help me.

"You felt so sorry for me. I couldn't even move from my bed." She paused, still looking down on me.  
"That's why I used my magic to trade bodies with you."

You said...just for a day. I thought, my chest heaving in sobs but no tears could come out. They can't come out. 

"'Just for a day?'" She laughs nonchalantly, as if she read my mind. "I guess I did say that."

She lets out a short chortle again, eying me.

"I was surprised that you could trap me with my own power..." She smiles again.  
"...but, to no avail."

She crouches again, smirking sadistically at me.

"After all, it's my house, yes? It wouldn't be killing me anytime soon."

Stop...please...stop...

"I was guided by that house all the way. So I was ensured to escape."

My breath has gotten significantly slower and blood still poured from the wound. I knew I was going to bleed out eventually. I can't live with the fact that I failed to get back what was mine. I just can't...win.

Ellen sighs, getting back up.

"Still not dead?" She says. "I have to applaud your tenacity." She adds, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Knowing I couldn't do anything else, I had just one thing left to worry about; my father. We were a family of two and I can't bear the thought of losing him. He was the most important thing to me, and now, I could never see him again. What was Ellen going to do him? Kill him? I wanted to protect my father, but how could I? How could I when I'm trapped like this?

But again...she reads my mind.

"Ah...could it be...are you that worried about your father?"

...

Then she goes on about how she knew of how close me and my father were, how much we loved each other, and how much we were willing to sacrifice for each other. And she was going to take that from me and I wasn't going to fight back. I was paralyzed in pain and sorrow. I lost everything...all because I willing to help my "friend." 

"So then, I suppose you're worried of what'll happen while you're gone?"

I hear her shift her weight slightly.

"It'll be just fine. I'll give him Viola's share of love..."

"...and I'll take her share of love too." 

No...s-stop...please, just give it back! Give everything back!

The rain continued to pour against the two of us and I began to think I was about to die, but then I heard a familiar voice.

"Viola!"

Father...my father was looking for me...and he wasn't going to get me. Instead...he was going to get someone whom he thought was his beloved daughter. The daughter he knew for thirteen years.

I hear Ellen run towards my father who was probably wearing a worried expression on his tired face.

"Viola?! Are you safe?! Are you hurt anywhere?"

I heard no response from Ellen and so I just assumed she either nodded or shook her head. Regardless, I knew my father saw me.

"Wh-what?! Why..."

I could feel his gaze rest upon me. I can still remember his look of happiness when he returns home and sees me waiting patiently for him. I can still remember the warm embrace he gives me when I greet him excitedly, warmer than the summer sun. His kindness; I can never forget that. Not even when I'm physically someone else, not when I'm hurting so much. Not even when I'm dead.

So why do I feel him looking so hatefully at me? I was his daughter...

Right?

With my last bursts of energy, I crawled towards them, hoping that my last and final efforts would help my father would realize it's me.

"Fha...aa...th..." Father...I tried to say.

It's no use. He doesn't know it's me.

"...dh...dha..." Daddy...please.

I'm Viola. I'm your daughter..!

I hear him aim his shotgun, aiming straight for me. My daddy was always a good shot. He's not going to miss.

"S-STAY AWAY, MONSTER!!"

Are you satisfied Ellen? My father just called his daughter a monster because he's oblivious to what you have done. The pain in my heart when I heard those cruel, unknowing words from my own blood and flesh was far more painful than anything you can dish out at me.

I love you, daddy... Those were my final thoughts before I gave up and laid limp, accepting my fate. I love you so much. I wish I could hear you respond and tell me...that you loved me too. 

But then...you pulled the trigger.


End file.
